וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְהָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים נִסָּ֖ה אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃

It was not long after these previous matters; God tested Abraham. This is the first event explicitly described as a test planned by God. And God said to him: Abraham; and he said: Here I am. Abraham’s response indicates not only that he has heard God’s call but that he is ready to receive His command.

וַיֹּ֡אמֶר קַח־נָ֠א אֶת־בִּנְךָ֨ אֶת־יְחִֽידְךָ֤ אֲשֶׁר־אָהַ֙בְתָּ֙ אֶת־יִצְחָ֔ק וְלֶךְ־לְךָ֔ אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּ֑ה וְהַעֲלֵ֤הוּ שָׁם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה עַ֚ל אַחַ֣ד הֶֽהָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃

He, God, said: Take now your son, your only one, as Abraham’s other son had been banished and was not considered an heir, whom you love: Isaac. This long string of descriptions serves to underscore the monumental demand God is about to make. And go you to the land of Moriah, traditionally associated with the area of Jerusalem, and offer him up there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains that I will tell you.

וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם אַבְרָהָ֜ם בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַֽיַּחֲבֹשׁ֙ אֶת־חֲמֹר֔וֹ וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־שְׁנֵ֤י נְעָרָיו֙ אִתּ֔וֹ וְאֵ֖ת יִצְחָ֣ק בְּנ֑וֹ וַיְבַקַּע֙ עֲצֵ֣י עֹלָ֔ה וַיָּ֣קָם וַיֵּ֔לֶךְ אֶל־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־אָֽמַר־ל֥וֹ הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃

Once again, Abraham wasted no time. Since he had received the command only at night or just before, he awoke early in the morning and saddled his donkey, to carry the items he required for the journey. He took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he cleaved the wood for the burnt offering, as he could not know if he would find more wood on the way. He arose, and he went, striding purposefully to the place that God told him, as he knew where it was.

בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗י וַיִּשָּׂ֨א אַבְרָהָ֧ם אֶת־עֵינָ֛יו וַיַּ֥רְא אֶת־הַמָּק֖וֹם מֵרָחֹֽק׃

Abraham started his journey in Beersheba, many hours from Jerusalem, on foot. Since he and Isaac had only one donkey and were traveling together, the journey took three days. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶל־נְעָרָ֗יו שְׁבוּ־לָכֶ֥ם פֹּה֙ עִֽם־הַחֲמ֔וֹר וַאֲנִ֣י וְהַנַּ֔עַר נֵלְכָ֖ה עַד־כֹּ֑ה וְנִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה וְנָשׁ֥וּבָה אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃

Abraham said to his young men: Stay here with the donkey and wait for me, and I and the lad will go there; we will prostrate ourselves, pray or sacrifice an offering, and will return to you. Abraham does not reveal his intention to sacrifice his son. Instead, he gives his attendants the impression that he and Isaac will sacrifice an offering together and then return.

וַיִּקַּ֨ח אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־עֲצֵ֣י הָעֹלָ֗ה וַיָּ֙שֶׂם֙ עַל־יִצְחָ֣ק בְּנ֔וֹ וַיִּקַּ֣ח בְּיָד֔וֹ אֶת־הָאֵ֖שׁ וְאֶת־הַֽמַּאֲכֶ֑לֶת וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם יַחְדָּֽו׃

Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and placed it upon Isaac his son. By carrying the wood, Isaac was already participating in the sacrifice. He, Abraham, took in his hand the fire, the kindling, and the knife, and the two of them went together.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יִצְחָ֜ק אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֤ם אָבִיו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אָבִ֔י וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֶּ֣נִּֽי בְנִ֑י וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּ֤ה הָאֵשׁ֙ וְהָ֣עֵצִ֔ים וְאַיֵּ֥ה הַשֶּׂ֖ה לְעֹלָֽה׃

Now that they were alone Isaac said to Abraham his father; he said: My father. He, Abraham, said to him, as he had responded earlier to God: Here I am, my son, ready and attentive. Abraham has not become any less fatherly toward Isaac, and he listens with a loving ear, despite the knowledge that he must sacrifice him. He, Isaac, said: Here are the fire and the wood, but if our intention is to sacrifice an animal, where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֱלֹהִ֞ים יִרְאֶה־לּ֥וֹ הַשֶּׂ֛ה לְעֹלָ֖ה בְּנִ֑י וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם יַחְדָּֽו׃

Abraham said, in a poignant response: God will Himself see to the lamb for a burnt offering, my son. At this point, Isaac surely began to ponder: What if we do not find a lamb? The juxtaposition of “burnt offering” and “my son” would have rung in his ears, as Isaac was no doubt aware of the practice of human sacrifice among the surrounding peoples. Nevertheless, the verse repeats the phrase indicating their solidarity: And the two of them went together. Earlier, Abraham was deeply troubled and Isaac was entirely innocent, and they went together. Now Isaac has heard Abraham’s frightening words, but he continues to walk with his father, without any attempt to escape.

וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ אֶֽל־הַמָּקוֹם֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָֽמַר־ל֣וֹ הָאֱלֹהִים֒ וַיִּ֨בֶן שָׁ֤ם אַבְרָהָם֙ אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וַֽיַּעֲרֹ֖ךְ אֶת־הָעֵצִ֑ים וַֽיַּעֲקֹד֙ אֶת־יִצְחָ֣ק בְּנ֔וֹ וַיָּ֤שֶׂם אֹתוֹ֙ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ מִמַּ֖עַל לָעֵצִֽים׃

They came to the place that God had told him; Abraham built the altar there, arranged the wood, and bound the hands and feet of Isaac his son to prevent him from moving, and he placed him on the altar upon the wood. He completed his preparation of Isaac as an offering.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אַבְרָהָם֙ אֶת־יָד֔וֹ וַיִּקַּ֖ח אֶת־הַֽמַּאֲכֶ֑לֶת לִשְׁחֹ֖ט אֶת־בְּנֽוֹ׃

Abraham raised his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.

וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֵלָ֜יו מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַבְרָהָ֣ם ׀ אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃

The angel of the Lord called to him from the heavens. Since the angel is a messenger of God, its statement is the word of God. And he said: Abraham, Abraham. Again, he, Abraham, said: Here I am, always ready to be commanded, even in the midst of such a superhuman effort as this.

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַל־תִּשְׁלַ֤ח יָֽדְךָ֙ אֶל־הַנַּ֔עַר וְאַל־תַּ֥עַשׂ ל֖וֹ מְא֑וּמָּה כִּ֣י ׀ עַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּֽי־יְרֵ֤א אֱלֹהִים֙ אַ֔תָּה וְלֹ֥א חָשַׂ֛כְתָּ אֶת־בִּנְךָ֥ אֶת־יְחִידְךָ֖ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

He said: Do not raise your hand to the lad, and do not do anything to him; for now I know that you are God-fearing, and you did not withhold your son, your only one, from Me.

וַיִּשָּׂ֨א אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ וְהִנֵּה־אַ֔יִל אַחַ֕ר נֶאֱחַ֥ז בַּסְּבַ֖ךְ בְּקַרְנָ֑יו וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אַבְרָהָם֙ וַיִּקַּ֣ח אֶת־הָאַ֔יִל וַיַּעֲלֵ֥הוּ לְעֹלָ֖ה תַּ֥חַת בְּנֽוֹ׃

Abraham lifted his eyes and saw that behold, there was a ram after it had been caught in the thicket by its horns. Rams, even those with long horns, are typically able to avoid being caught in thickets. Furthermore, this ram was in unusually close proximity to humans. Abraham immediately understood that this was no coincidence, but a sign. Therefore, Abraham went, took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son.

וַיִּקְרָ֧א אַבְרָהָ֛ם שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא יְהוָ֣ה ׀ יִרְאֶ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ יֵאָמֵ֣ר הַיּ֔וֹם בְּהַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה יֵרָאֶֽה׃

Abraham called the name of that place where this occurred: The Lord will see, as it is said to this day with regard to that mountain: On the mount where the Lord will be seen.

וַיִּקְרָ֛א מַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם שֵׁנִ֖ית מִן־הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from the heavens.

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר בִּ֥י נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה כִּ֗י יַ֚עַן אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וְלֹ֥א חָשַׂ֖כְתָּ אֶת־בִּנְךָ֥ אֶת־יְחִידֶֽךָ׃

He said: By Myself I have taken an oath – the utterance of the Lord – for because you have done this thing, and did not withhold your son, your only one,

כִּֽי־בָרֵ֣ךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ֗ וְהַרְבָּ֨ה אַרְבֶּ֤ה אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּכוֹכְבֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְכַח֕וֹל אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־שְׂפַ֣ת הַיָּ֑ם וְיִרַ֣שׁ זַרְעֲךָ֔ אֵ֖ת שַׁ֥עַר אֹיְבָֽיו׃

for that I will bless you and multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens and as the sand that is upon the seashore, and your descendants shall inherit the gate of their enemies;

וְהִתְבָּרֲכ֣וּ בְזַרְעֲךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ עֵ֕קֶב אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ בְּקֹלִֽי׃

and all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, meaning that they will bless each other with the prayer that they be like your descendants, since you heeded My voice.

וַיָּ֤שָׁב אַבְרָהָם֙ אֶל־נְעָרָ֔יו וַיָּקֻ֛מוּ וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ יַחְדָּ֖ו אֶל־בְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב אַבְרָהָ֖ם בִּבְאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃ (פ)

Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived for some years more in Beersheba.

וַיְהִ֗י אַחֲרֵי֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וַיֻּגַּ֥ד לְאַבְרָהָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר הִ֠נֵּה יָלְדָ֨ה מִלְכָּ֥ה גַם־הִ֛וא בָּנִ֖ים לְנָח֥וֹר אָחִֽיךָ׃

It was after these matters that it was told to Abraham, saying: Behold, Milka, wife of Nahor, she too has borne children to your brother Nahor. This particular form of the word “after” indicates that considerable time had passed between the two events. The news reached Abraham from Haran, on the border of modern-day Turkey and Syria, where Nahor and his family lived.

אֶת־ע֥וּץ בְּכֹר֖וֹ וְאֶת־בּ֣וּז אָחִ֑יו וְאֶת־קְמוּאֵ֖ל אֲבִ֥י אֲרָֽם׃

Nahor fathered several sons: Utz, with a traditional Aramaic name, who was his firstborn, Buz his brother, and Kemuel, father of Aram, who was apparently an important Aramean leader. Apart from Abraham, Terah’s descendants became Arameans.

וְאֶת־כֶּ֣שֶׂד וְאֶת־חֲז֔וֹ וְאֶת־פִּלְדָּ֖שׁ וְאֶת־יִדְלָ֑ף וְאֵ֖ת בְּתוּאֵֽל׃

Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Yidlaf, and Betuel, Nahor’s youngest son.

וּבְתוּאֵ֖ל יָלַ֣ד אֶת־רִבְקָ֑ה שְׁמֹנָ֥ה אֵ֙לֶּה֙ יָלְדָ֣ה מִלְכָּ֔ה לְנָח֖וֹר אֲחִ֥י אַבְרָהָֽם׃

Betuel begot Rebecca. He had other children as well, and the Torah later introduces his son Laban, who was older than Rebecca. Nevertheless, in this context the birth of Rebecca is of more significance, as she will marry Isaac. At this point Abraham knew that there was at least one woman in the family eligible for Isaac, and he may have had Rebecca in mind when he later sent a messenger to Haran to seek a wife for his son (chap. 24). These eight sons Milka bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.

וּפִֽילַגְשׁ֖וֹ וּשְׁמָ֣הּ רְאוּמָ֑ה וַתֵּ֤לֶד גַּם־הִוא֙ אֶת־טֶ֣בַח וְאֶת־גַּ֔חַם וְאֶת־תַּ֖חַשׁ וְאֶֽת־מַעֲכָֽה׃ (ס)

And his, Nahor’s, concubine, and her name was Re’uma, she too bore sons: Tevah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maakha.